Vehicle suspensions

ABSTRACT

The suspension comprises at least one pivoted wheel arm, in line with a rigid hollow element belonging to the structure of the vehicle. The wheel arm is pivoted on an axle borne by said hollow element, the wheel arm being fast in rotation to a rigid member adapted to cooperate with elastic stops housed in the hollow element. The pivoting axle of the wheel arm has its geometrical axis situated outside the rigid hollow element and the latter comprises an opening in its wall adapted to be traversed by said rigid member, which member constitutes a radial extension of the arm intended to project inside the hollow element between the elastic stops. The suspension is particularly useful for passenger automobile vehicles.

United States Patent [1 1 G rosseau in] 3,868,129 Feb. 25, 1975 VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS [75] Inventor: Albert Grosseau, Chaville, France [21] App]. No.: 362,667

[30] Foreign Application Priority Date June 1, 1972 France 72.19739 [52] US. Cl... 280/l06.5 R, 280/124 A, 267/57.l R [51] Int. Cl. B60g 11/60 [58] Field of Search.. 280/106.5 R, 106.5 A, 124 R,

280/124 A, 124 B; 267/57, 57.1 R, 57.1 A,

9/1972 Hickman... 280/124 R Primary Examiner--Philip Goodman Assistant Examiner-John A. Carroll Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] I ABSTRACT The suspension comprises at least one pivoted wheel arm, in line with a rigidhollow element belonging to the structure of the vehicle. The wheel arm is pivoted on an axle borne by said hollow element, the wheel arm being fast in rotation to a rigid member adapted to cooperate with elastic stops housed in the hollow element. The pivoting axle of the wheel arm has its geometrical axis situated outside the rigid hollow elementand the latter comprises an opening in its wall adapted to be traversed by said rigid member, which member constitutes a radial extension of the arm intended to project inside the hollow element between the elastic stops. The suspension is particularly useful for passengerautomobile vehicles.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures,

PATENTED 3.868.129 sum 1 BF 3 zazw 25 1 102a VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS The invention relates to improvements in or to suspensions for vehicle wheelsof the type which comprise member adapted to cooperate, to control the movements of said arm, with elastic stops housed in the hollow element.

The invention relates more particularly, because it is in this case that its application seems to offer the most advantage, but not exclusively, to suspensions for automobile vehicles, especially passenger vehicles.

It is a particular object of the invention to render suspensions of the type concerned such thatthey respond to the various exigencies of practice better than hitherto, and especially such that they form a simple and compact assembly.

According to the invention, a suspension for a vehicle wheel, of the previously defined type, is'characterised by the fact that the geometric pivoting axis of the wheel arm is situated on the outside of the rigid hollow element, and that the latter comprises, initswall, an opening adapted to be'tr-aversed by said rigid member, which member constitutes a radial extension of the arm intended to project inside the hollow element between the elastic stops. 7

When it relates toa suspension in which the hollow element is constituted by a tubular traverse, the wheel arm is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the abovesaid radial extension is constituted by a pallet situated at the pivoted end of the arm and introduced into the traverse.

When it relates to a suspension in which the hollow element is constituted by a tubular longitudinal memher, the wheel arm is oriented transversely with respect to the vehicle and the abovesaid radial extension is constituted by a pallet situated at the articulated end of the arm and introduced into the longitudinal member;

Preferably, the tubular hollow element is of circular perpendicular cross-section, and the opening provided in the wall of this hollow element is constituted by a window extending along a circular arc, the pivoting axis of the wheel arm being borne by two flanges fixed rigidly to the hollow element, situated on both sides of the window and of which the planes are perpendicular to the axis of said hollow element.

The invention consists, apart from the features mentioned above, of certain features which will be more explicitly considered below, with regard to embodiments of the invention which will be described in more dethe chassis 6, for example 'by welding.

, FIG. 6 shows diagrammatically in section, a suspen sion according to the invention for vehicle front wheels.

FIG. 7 lastly is a plan view of the suspensionof FIG. 6.

Referring to FlGS. l and 2, there can be seen a suspension l for rear wheels 2a, 2b of an automobilevehicle. This suspension comprises, on each side of theve-i hicle, a wheel arm 30, 3b associated with the rear wheel 21:, 2b situated on the same side.

Each wheel arm 3a, 3b is articulated,'in line with a rigid-hollow element 4, on pivoting means constituted, respectively, by an axle 5a, 5b outside the hollow ele' ment 4 and borne by the latter.

This hollow element 4 belongs to the structure of .the

vehicle, constituted by'a chassis 6,, and it is arranged in the form of a tubular traverse, for example with a circular perpendicular cross-section. This traverse 4 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and it is fixed rigidly to two longitudinal members 7a, 7b

The arms 3a, 3b are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, towards the rear of the traverse 4, and are bent, as seen in FIG. 2, so asto separate, towards the rear, from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Each arm bears an axle.8a, 8b, perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and onwhich is mounted the associated wheel 20, 2b. The arms 3a, 3b are arranged respectively, in the vicinity of the ends of the traverse 4.

The pivoting axes Saand 5b of the arms are borne, parallel to the traverse 4 and behind the latter, respectively by two flanges 9a, 10a and two flanges 9b, 10b

tailed manner, withreference to the accompanying FIG. 5 is a plan view of the suspension of FIG.'4. Y I

substantially perpendicular to the traverse and fixed rigidly on the latter. a

lt is clear that the geometric pivoting axis of each arm, constituted by the line forming the geometrical axis of each material pivoting axle 5a, 5b and whichextends on both sides of the material axle, is situated out side the traverse 4.-

Each arm 3a, 3b is fastin rotation toa rigid member 11a, 1 lb constituted by a pallet extending forwardly, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2,'the pivoted end of the associated arm.

Each pallet 11a, 11b constitutes a radial extension of the associated arm 3a, 3b, that is to say an extension in an average direction at right angles to .the geometrical axis of the pivot of this aim.

The traverse 4 comprises, in its wall, two openings 12a, 12b constituted by windows oriented towards the rear of the vehicle, extending along acircular arc of about and comprised, respectively, between the flanges 9a, 10a and 9b, 1012. Each pallet 11a, 11b passes through the associated window 12a, 12b to project inside the traverse 4.-

Elastic stops 13a, 14a andl3b, 14b are provided inside the said traverse 4'to cooperate respectively with the pallets 11a and 11b so as to limit the amplitude of the angular movements of the arm fast to the pallet.

lt will be noted that the windows 12a, 12b enable, if necessary, the mounting of the elastic stops inside the traverse 4.

As seen on a larger scale in H6. 4, the stops such as 13a; 14a may be realized in theform of frustoconic blocks of elastomeric material whose point is turned towardsthe axis of the traverse 4. On a large base of each stop, a tit 15 of elastomeric material is provided for the fixing of the stop on the traverse4. This titlS a pivot axle connected in parallel laterally spaced relation relative to said hollow element and opposite said opening;

a wheel arm pivotally connected with said axle, said wheel arm being adapted to rotatably support at a location remote from said pivot axle a wheel of the vehicle;

a first rigid projection connected with said wheel arm and extending radially relative to said pivot axle into said opening; and

a pair of elastic stop members mounted within said rigid hollow element on opposite sides of said rigid projection, respectively, said stop members being contained in a plane normal to the plane of said pivot axle, whereby upon pivotal movement of said wheel arm, said rigid projection is brought into contact with at least one of said elastic stop members.

2. Apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said hollow element comprises a tubular traverse member which extends transversely of the vehicle structure, said wheel arm extending longitudinally of the vehicle and being pivotally connected at one end with said pivot axle, said first rigid projection comprising a pallet extending from said one end of said wheel arm into said opening.

3. Apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said rigid A hollow element comprises a tubular longitudinal member which extends longitudinally of the vehicle, said wheel arm extending transversely of the vehicle and being pivotally connected at one end with said pivot axle, said first rigid projection comprising a pallet extending from said one end of said wheel arm into said opening.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rigid hollow element is tubular and has a circular crosssection, the opening contained in the wall portion of said hollow element comprising a window extending along a circular arc.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including a pair of flanges arranged on opposite sides of said opening for connecting the ends of said pivot axle in spaced relation relative to said hollow element, said flanges being substantially normal to said hollow element.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said elastic stop members comprises a frustoconical block formed of elastomeric material, the pointed portions of said stop members extending in thedirection of said first projection, said stop members having at least one tit on the large base portion thereof that extends through a corresponding aperture contained in the wall portion of saidrigid hollow element.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including a second projection connected with said wheel arm and extending radially from said pivot axle, and further including resilient means connected between said second projection and said vehicle structure for resisting pivotal movement of said wheel arm, said elastic stop members normally being slightly spaced from said first projection, whereby said first projection will engage said elastic stop members only upon substantial pivotal movement of said wheel arm.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said second projection is generally normal to said first projection.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said resilient means comprises a fluid spring of the oleopneumatic type.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including a second projection on said wheel arm extending radially from said pivot axle, resilient means connected between said second projection and said vehicle structure, said elastic stop members being spaced from said first projection so that said first projection engages I said vehicle structure for receiving said dome portion.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including a second projection on said wheel arm extending radially from said pivot axle, resilient means connected between said second projection and said vehicle structure, said elastic stop members being spaced from said first projection so that said first projection engages said stop members only upon substantial pivot movement of said wheel arm, said resilient means comprising a fluid spring of the oleo-pneumatic type arranged longitudinally of the vehicle on the same side of the pivot axle as the portion of the wheel arm that is adapted for connection with the wheel, said fluid spring terminating at its end remote from said second projection in a rounded dome portion, anda cup secured to said vehicle structure for receiving said dome portion. 

1. Wheel suspension means for a vehicle having a rigid structure, comprising a rigid hollow element connected with the vehicle structure, said hollow element including a wall portion containing an opening; a pivot axle connected in parallel laterally spaced relation relative to said hollow element and opposite said opening; a wheel arm pivotally connected with said axle, said wheel arm being adapted to rotatably support at a location remote from said pivot axle a wheel of the vehicle; a first rigid projection connected with said wheel arm and extending radially relative to said pivot axle into said opening; and a pair of elastic stop members mounted within said rigid hollow element on opposite sides of said rigid projection, respectively, said stop members being contained in a plane normal to the plane of said pivot axle, whereby upon pivotal movement of said wheel arm, said rigid projection is brought into contact with at least one of said elastic stop members.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said hollow element comprises a tubular traverse member which extends transversely of the vehicle structure, said wheel arm extending longitudinally of the vehicle and being pivotally connected at one end with said pivot axle, said first rigid projection comprising a pallet extending from said one end of said wheel arm into said opening.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rigid hollow element comprises a tubular longitudinal member which extends longitudinally of the vehicle, said wheel arm extending transversely of the vehicle and being pivotally connected at one end with said pivot axle, said first rigid projection comprising a pallet extending from said one end of said wheel arm into said opening.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rigid hollow element is tubular and has a circular cross-section, the opening contained in the wall portion of said hollow element comprising a window extending along a circular arc.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including a pair of flanges arranged on opposite sides of said opening for connecting the ends of said pivot axle in spaced relation relative to said hollow element, said flanges being substantially normal to said hollow element.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said elastic stop members comprises a frustoconical block formed of elastomeric material, the pointed portions of said stop members extending in the direction of said first projection, said stop members having at least one tit on the large base portion thereof that extends through a corresponding aperture contained in the wall portion of said rigid hollow element.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including a second projection connected with said wheel arm and extending radially from said pivot axle, and further including resilient means connected between said second projection and said vehicle structure for resisting pivotal movement of said wheel arm, said elastic stop members normally being slightly spaced from said first projection, whereby said first projection will engage said elastic stop members only upon substantial pivotal movement of said wheel arm.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said second projection is generally normal to said first projection.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said resilient means comprises a fluid spring of the oleo-pneumatic type.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including a second projection on said wheel arm extending radially from said pivot axle, resilient means connected between said second projection and said vehicle structure, said elastic stop members being spaced from said first projection so that said first projection engages said stop members only upon substantial pivot movement of said wheel arm, said resilient means comprising a fluid spring of the oleo-pneumatic type arranged longitudinally of the vehicle on the opposite side of the pivot axle from the portion of said wheel arm that is adapted for connection with the wheel, said fluid spring terminating at its end remote from said second projection in a rounded dome portion, and a cup secured to said vehicle structure for receiving said dome portion.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including a second projection on said wheel arm extending radially from said pivot axle, resilient means connected between said second projection and said vehicle structure, said elastic stop members being spaced from said first projection so that said first projection engages said stop members only upon substantial pivot movement of said wheel arm, said resilient means comprising a fluid spring of the oleo-pneumatic type arranged longitudinally of the vehicle on the same side of the pivot axle as the portion of the wheel arm that is adapted for connection with the wheel, said fluid spring terminating at its end remote from saId second projection in a rounded dome portion, and a cup secured to said vehicle structure for receiving said dome portion. 